Sheet counting and delivering mechanism for presses and the like



- July .22, 1930. \=D. w. soy 1,770,973

SHEET CONTING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM FOR PRESSES AND'THE LIKE ivledsept. i5. 192s 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i D. w. coY' 1,770,973

SHEET COUNTING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM FOR PRESSES AND THE LIKE July22,. 1930.

Flid Sept. 15. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 22, 1930.

D. w. coY l,7",70973` SHEET COUNTING' AND DELQCVERING MECHANIYSM FORPRESSES AND-THE LIKE Fleyd Sept. 15, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 im lli July22, 1930.` D. w. cov 1,770,973

SHEET COUNTING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM FOR PRESSES AND THE LIKE FiledSept. 15. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ljijlllllllll @y g5@ @4,7% @YM-fm y] Lili the conveyor.

PatentedrJuly 22,1930 l UNiTi-:D STATES PATENT N Doiv W. cov,V orCHICAGO; Immers,` assieivon ro' ferrieliseV oaaroiqcomranvipr HoHIcAGdjILLINoIs, consonancia or ILLINoIsf siiizzn'rV ooUNrING imVi)EnrvEn-iive imcnaivrsiirl Foa rans'sns arnhem 'man y v Applicationled YSeptember 15, 1928. serialiNo. 306,7160.

The present invention relates. to a .sheet counting j and deliveringymechanism A, for

presses andmore particularlyfor presses that are used for cutting,scoring and printing sheets of heavy paperorfcardboard to form cartonblanks. In pressesjof this type it is desirable tokeep an accuraterecord of tlieoutput and also to deliver the output of the press inaccurately counted piles. This invention seeks to provide means forcount ing the sheets as they are stacked or `piled by the usual sheetVdelivery mechanism ofthe press and for deliver-ing the sheets inaccurately countedpiles. *y Y Y The invention comprises a conveyor aboveor upon which the sheets .are piled by the press delivery mechanism,1asheet counter controlled by the passage of sheetsV through the press andmeans for intermittently actu.- ating the conveyor controlled by .thevcounter and operated in timed' relation with -theipress for deliveringthe counted piles .of sheets.

VThese and other features Aand the details of the 4invention arehereinafter more fully set forth, are illustrated i-inpreferred form invthe accompanying drawings, andare particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

Fig. l is a side elevation ofthe improved sheet counter and deliveryvmechanism and also of a suitable press,nthe showing ,of the latterbeing diagrammatic; Y

arged .side relevation .ofthe sheet counting and delivering mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a side elevationof the `conve or;

Fig. 4 isa detail view of a portion o the conveyor; Y

Fig. 5 is a detail view .in side elevation of the counter controllingdevice; l

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view ofthe clutch which forms 4a part of,thecon-veyor actuating mechanism; l

Fig. 7 :is a detail .plan viewlof ,the variable speed, -slovv start and`stop .gearing whichr forms .part of the ...actuating mechanism .for

Va tableor platform 5.

' Theimprovedsheet counting i ing mechanism may `be usedwith presses .ofmany. different?v types The press diagrammatically shown in Fig. l isofthe Wellf known bed and cylinder type and has a mai-n Cylinder l whichis driven .from a main Shaft i 2 through a gear'train andis providedwith the Silal/igrippers 4 for'engagngithefsheets of paper stoclz thatare delivered .toit .from

operates inthe usualvvay lWith" a reciproat". ingbed carrying the rdiesand .type and a cylinder 6 cooperates with a ily '7 `to deliver `thenished sheets in a stacker pile.

Usually the finished sheets :are piled bythe i press delivery mechanismvon a` table or plataform. i vention they are placed upoiifa .conveyorIn accordance with'the Present informing `part of the improved sheetcounting and deliveringmechanism This lmechanismis carried upon a vframe,comprising ysuitably connected sidememhers., on which v the shafts Yandotherparts of the `mechanism Y are mounted. A horizontal Vslgiaft y9 atthe `upper forward pivotal support' for one end .of theconveyor frame.Thisframe, as mostaelearly ,shown Ain Fig. 3, comprises side bars,llconneetedfhy crossfbars 11 nand ,depending end brackets l2 and 13connected respectively to the; :side bars. `Members ll fixedtotheforvvard .ends f of the sidebars l0 pivotally-engage the shaft 9 orthe bearings in which the shaft is jour-V naled'.` 4Shaft 9 forms seriesof Y. conveyor chains 15 Which pass `over drive .sprockets 16 onthisshaftand also over 1 guide sprockets '1,7v and `18 lcarried byshafts 19 and 2O that areqmountedrespectively at the y and `on the.lower ends ofthe forward I.side brackets 12. Thefcha'ins also 4pass.over a series of tighteningsprockets 21 .carried Joya ,cross-shaft 722,the bearings l for whichy (are .adjustably lmounted in guides 'in fillerflower portion `of the .side ,vbr ackets 13 and. can he end of the`,frame forms .a ;jj

the drive Shaft `for a Y rear 'end ,of the ,oonveyorframe' flatterlisfconnec adjusted to properly tension the conveyor chains by screws23.

The construction of the conveyor permits of its adjustment about thedrive shaft 9 as a center so that the vertical position of its rear ordelivery end can be positioned as desired.,

As shown, the delivery end of the conveyor is carried by supports 24,the lower ends of which are notched to provide lugs 25 which can beadjustably engaged with pins 26 Xed to the main frame. i

A series of guides or supporting strips 27 are provided for the upperhorizontal reaches of the conveyor chainsl upon or above which thesheets "are stacked or piled bythe press,

delivery mechanism. These supporting strips arejiked at theirends tosaddles 28 which are carried by the cross-bars ll and the chains areprovided atintervals with pro-1 veyor chains.

The conveyor chains are provided with a plurality of sets of abutments15, three in the particular form shown, and the operating mechanism ofthe conveyor, which is intermittently operated', is arranged' to arrestthe Iconveyor chainswith sets of abutmentsv at 'the opposite ends of theupper reach ofthe conveyor. Also, at each operation the'conveyor isadvanced to such an extent as to move one set of abutments from itsforward or receiving end to its rear or delivering end, and, preferably,each such operation of the conveyor is effected during a single workingcycle of the press.Y

.The main shaft 29 of the counting and delivering mechanism is journaledin the upper `rear portion of the frame and is connected by a train ofgears 30to a drive shaft 31. rllhe ted by chain and sprocket gearingv 32to the drive shaft 2 of the press.

,This gearing is such that the working cycle of thev sheet countingV anddelivering mechanism is the same as that of the press. That is tosay,the main shaft 29 rotates at the same speed as the maindrum 1 of thepress.v

Y The A conveyor 1s operated from the main shaft 29 by means'of aninterposed gear train which includes a clutch for starting and stoppingtheconveyor and also includes variable speed, slowstart and stopgearing.

The start and stop clutch is mounted upon a shaft 33 at the upperforward portion of the "driven` at unifor which is loosely mounted onthis shaft, is connected to the main shaft 9 of theconveyor by a pair ofintermeshing gears 35. rllhe driven clutch member 36 (see Fig. 6) iskeyed to the shaft 33 and a gear 37 also keyed to the shaft meshes witha large gear 38 carried on a cross-shaft 39. Gear 38 isl driven by alarge gear 40 mounted on a. shaft 4l and which meshes with a gear 42 onthe main shaft 29.

A series of four rolls 43 mounted on theside of the gear 40 adjacent itsperiphery anduniformly spaced are arranged to engage a vcorrespondingseriesof guideways formed by .pairs .of projecting ribs 44 on theadjacent face of the Gear 38. LGrear 40' is'c'ontinuousl 1n speed. Asone of the rolls 4 3 enters Voneof the radialguidewaysin the gear 38 itwill slowly start this gear and the clutch shaft- 33; then it increasesthe speed of these parts as the roller moves toward the center of thegear 38, andthen, asfit moves awayfrom .the center it gradually reducesthespeedofithese parts and brings them to resti` As one'oftherolls 43lon the gear 40 leavesjone ofthe guidewaysfon the gear 38 another rollenters the next guideway. ln this way'the clutch vs haft 33 and theconveyor, wheirthe clutch is closed, are driven at variable speed andwith a slow start and stop. This properly eifects a slow starting andstopping of a pilel of sheets on the conveyor which is frequently quiteheavy. Also, the variable speed operation of theconveyor affords ampletime for the removal of 'a pile of Ksheetsjduri'nga singlefworking cycleof the press. Each operation of the conveyor is effectedby' a singlerevolution of the clutch shaft 33` and the gearing is such that thisshaft 'rotates through one revolution during each working cycle of thepress and during each revolution `of thepress'drum and of the main shaft29 ofthe sheet counting and delivering mechanism. That is to, say, lthevariable speed, slow start and stop gearing 38 is rotated throughone-'quarter of a revolution and 'the clutch shaft and driving clutchmember thereon are rotated through a complete vrevolution during eachworking cycle of the press. It is also noted thatsin'ce one of therollsof gear 4() leaves one of the gnideways of the `gear 38 anotherroll enters the next guideway, the dwell of the 'gear 38 and of thedriving clutch member is very short and they are in inotionsubstantially throughout the working cycle of the press.

od of a working cycle is utilized in effecting the operation of theconveyor and it is not necessary to operate it at excessive speeds indelivering a heavy pile of sheets.

The driven clutch member34 which car- `ries the gear 35 is, as stated,loosely mounted on the shaft 33, being heldinposition on the end of theshaft by a plate or collar 45. A clutch dog 46 is arranged'to slide in aHence, when the .clutch is closed, substantially the entireperiguidewayforme'din the "member 34; This dog,V is spring-pressed`toward f the drivingl clutch member `36 and isi adapted toenter -arecess Athereinl andl be vengagedfby La shoulder 47 to effect 'therotation ofthedriven clutch member. .-N ormally;however, the clutch dogis held in retracted position to disconnect the clutch! members` by atripV `armi. Tor .lever 48 pivoted l on the 4side ofthe `main frame (seeFig.2) land' spring-heldiinposition sothat itsupper end extendswithin .agroove 49 in theclutch member: 34fandlintofafnotch 50 in the key 46.When .thetripleverr48isishited against the tension of its spring the=dog`.46 isshiftedby its spring to connectthe clutch members. At the endof a single revolution of: the 'driven clutch member, s the .Ibeveledupper end 'of the trip arm willengageandV retract the dog toopen theclutchfand arrest the operation of theA driven clutchI member and oftheconveyor.v

l f; The army. 8 is moved toy close the clutchby f lowered so thatduring itsunext arshifter rod 51` the free end ofifwhichis ar# ranged toengage a nose 52 'formed on the trip arm; The` shifterl is` pivotedl at;its opposite end to thejlower 'endoi' ailever 53. v l The latter ispivoted between its ends .uponthe frameand. aspring54 connected to thelever holds a roller on its upper end in engagement Vwithgan'actuatingcam55onthesha'ft 29;:

While :theshifter 51 is oscillated'by the lcam 55on'ce duringeach,working.i cycle,'` its freeendis normally held outv of line withthe nose yZon the clutch trip arm. 48 by afsup-w porting pinA or roller56 on: the end. of anarm or lever 57. Thelatteris pivoted between itsends on the frametand anose 58on one ofits arms is heldbygravityinengagement with the periphery of a disc 59.-"jl\lormally,V these partshold thefree end of the .shifter rod 51 ,out of linewith-thegnose 52onthe clutchl trip arm but, Ywhen the nose onthe lever 57; drops `intooneof the notches 60 in the peripheryof the disc 59, the free endiof theshifter rodis operative movement it lwill engage andy shiftV the triparm48 to close the,conveyor clutch.'` It is notedthat cam55 eects theforward -actuat ing movement of, the clutchtripshifter 51V as one or".the rolls of Vthel gear40 enters one oi the guideways Vof the gear 38,Vso that?, when on the main frame and` having pawls 67 the shifterrod1is.lowered;the clutch isv-engagedto eiiect the operation of theconveyor at the beginning of one of the slow start and stop, variablespeed movements of the gear A38 andof the'driven clutch member actuatedby t his gear. f A l VThe disc 59 is mountedgon laV shaft 61 and isoperated by a sheet counting mechanism. |This mechanismv comprises Y aratchet 1 wheel k6L) mounted cna shaft 6A3Land connected to the disc 59by a pair ofintermeshing gearsv 64, andan actuating arm or lever'65pivoted at 66 operating v cycle,v

and 68 `engaging the ratchet wheely 62. VJSpringi69connected to the"arml 65 hold'sa lroller thereon in engagement with an actuating cam 70onthe main shaft-29.

The parts are "soarranged thatrthe arm- 65 v i is oscillated once'duringY each `working cycle to thereby-advance the counting ratchetwheel step-by st epfl v.The to and"l :Eroo'sci-llation of 2 the arm65throughvthepull and push pawls 67 and 68 eifecttwo steps ofthe ratchetwheel 62' and the counting disk 59. V'Hence a'notch on the disk isbrought both'into and.- out of line with the noseof the lever 57 duringaV single f-.working cycle'of thefpress, andthe clutch'canbeclosed'andthe conveyor operatedfk substantially lthroughout 'ja complete f workingcycle withoutdangerof again `closing the clutch and Voperating theconveyor during-the next succeeding cycle.

-. Means areprovided for preventingithe 'complete operationfof acounting mechanism in case a sheet is notpassed through' the press Yduring any working cycle. "To this end, the

actuating arm 65 is connected by a link 71 -to a crank disc` 72on-thepress framel andithe latterfisconnected'by a link 7 3'- to `anoscillat- Vingarm 7 5. 1 An' oscillating shaft7 6 of: light weight isprovidedwithf iingersr77vand 78 which cooperate respectively with thel-sheets va as they are fed-tothe press-k and with an abutment 79 on`thearm 7 5'. `As asheeta is `ment off the counter actuator 65 during` asingleworkingcycle of the press incase no t sheet isi'ed. f y Y'Infoperation the shaft 29 is continuously driven. at the-,same sp'eedfast-he press drum and theparts actuated thereby'are operated oncedurin-geach working cycle of the press except,` of course, that the conveyor isheld stationary. unless the clutch` trip 48 is oper.- ated. Also,k asstated, if there is `nol sheet passed through the'press during a .givenworking cycle theoperationbf the counting position shown fin Fig. 5'somechanism is not completed. During operation, the sheets delivered fromthe press are accurately piled or stacked upon or above the conveyorandare accurately counted. When the counting mechanism advances the disc59 to such an extent that the controller 57 engages'one of thel notchesin the disc the shifter v51 will move the clutch trip T48 so thatthecon# veyor mechanism will operate tof'deliverthe s counted pile ofsheets. This operationof the conveyor occurs, workin cycle of the press:and itis operated at varia le speed with a slow-start and stop so thatthe pile of ksheets is not disturbed.

The mechanism affords means for keeping track of the operation of thepressk and for delivering its-product in accurately counted piles.`Changes may be made in the details set orth withoutdeparturefrom thescope of the appended claims.

I clain as my invention: y

1. The combination with a press having means for piling the sheetsfof aconveyor, normally at rest, for delivering the piled sheets, for theconveyor geared to and having a Working cycle corresponding to that ofthe press, said drive mechanism includingv start-stopV means arrangedtov maintain the conveyor in operation substantially throughout suchWorking cycle, a sheet counter, and means controlled thereby forinitiating the operation of said start-stop means.

2. The combination with a press having means for piling the sheets, of aconveyor for delivering the piled sheets, intermittently acting drivemechanism for actuating the conveyorincluding variablespeed, slow startand stop gearing, said drive mechanism being geared to the press tooperate in` timed relation therewith, a sheet counter, and meanscontrolled thereby for initiating the operation of the conveyor at thebeginning of a working cycle of said variable speed, slow start andstopgearing V3. The combination with a press having means for piling thesheets, of a conveyor for delivering the piled sheets, intermittentlyacting drive mechanism for actuating the conveyor including variablespeed, slow start and stop gearing' and a start-stop clutch, said drivemechanism being geared to the press to effect the operation of saidgearing and said clutch in timed relationtherewith, a sheet counter, andmeans controlled thereby for closing said clutch to initiate theoperation of Vthe conveyor at the beginning of a working cycle for saidvariable speed, slow start and stop gearing. Y

4. The combination with a press having means for vpiling the sheets, ofa conveyor for delivering the piled sheets, intermittently acting drivemechanism for actuating the conveyor including variable speed, slowstart and stop gearing,'and a start-stop clutch, a sheet counter, meansvcontrolled thereby for closing the clutch at the beginning of a Workingcycle of saidgearing, a counter actuator, said counter actuator and saiddrive mechanism being geared to the press to operate in timed relationtherewith, and means controlled by the passage of sheets through thepress Jor controlling the operation of the counter actuator.

as stated, duringthe singleV intermittently acting drive mechanism l' 5.The combination with a presshaving means for piling the` sheets, ofconveyor chains, normally at rest, for delivering the piled sheets, agear train for eecting the Voperation of said' conveyor chains and forning of a working cycle of said variable speed,

slow start and stopgcars'.

` 6. In combination with chains, normally at rest, for delivering the apress having' means for piling the lsheets, of conveyor piled sheets,actuating-means, including a start-stop iclutch, -for intermittentlyyoperating said conveyor, 4a trip for said clutch, -a sheet counter,actuators-for said counter and said clutch trip, gearing for operatingthe clutch and trip actuators and the conveyor actuating means inyworkingi cycles corresponding to those vof-the press and meanscontrolled-bythe sheet counter for preventing or permitting theoperation of the trip actuator. 1 v A' 7. In combinationl with a presshaving means for piling .the sheets, of conveyor chains, normallyatrest, for delivering the piled sheets, actuating means, including astart-stop clutch, forintermittently operating said conveyor, a trip forsaidclutch, a sheet counter, actuatorsfor saidY counter and said clutchtrip, gearing for operating the clutch and trip actuators and theconveyor-actuating means' in timed relation withthe press, meanscontrolled bythe passage of sheets through the press for controllingthe'operation of the counter actuator andmeans controlled by thecounter` for preventing or permitting the operation lof the tripactuator. A

8. In combination with a press having means for piling the sheets, aconveyor, normally' at rest, for receiving the piled sheets, meansl forvertically adjusting the delivery end ofthe conveyor, drive mechanismgeared.

to the press and to the receiving end of the conveyor or'intermittentlyoperating the latter, and a sheet counter for controlling the operationkof said drive mechanism.

9. In combination with a press having means for piling the sheets, of aconveyor for receiving the sheets land delivering the same therefrom,drive mechanism for the conveyor geared to andfrhaving a 'working cyclecorresponding to that of the press and including va start-stop clutch,means operated by said drive mechanism for closing the clutch, asheet-controlled counter and means controlled thereby for preventing orpermitting the operation of said clutch-closing means.

10. In combination with a press having means for Apiling the sheets, ofa conveyor for receiving the sheets and delivering the same Y means.

therefrom, drivemechanism for the conveyor-v geared to and having aWorkingY cycle correV- spending to that of vthe variable speed, slowstart and stop gearing and a start-stop clutch, means operated by saiddrive mechanism for closing the clutch atithe beginning ofa Workingcycle of: said gearing, a sheet-controlled counter Operated by saiddrivemechanism, and .means'controlled by said counter for venting theOperation cf press and including f i permitting or pre; d saidclutch-closing DON WQCOY.V

